NIDCR Says Oral Health in America Report to be Published this Fall

  • by AGD Washington Advocacy Representative
  • Jun 2, 2021
On May 26, the Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), Dr. Rena D’Souza, announced that the twenty-year follow-up report to Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General will be released in the fall of 2021.

The new report, Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges, will reportedly focus on new directions in the prevention and treatment of oral disease; identify disparities and inequalities in oral health care; and propose innovative strategies for ensuring all Americans share equally in the benefits of oral health. NIDCR will also host a website and publish additional data and findings for oral health professionals, stakeholders, and interest groups.

Impact on General Dentistry: AGD is monitoring the status of the new NIDCR Report on Oral Health, as AGD was one of the stakeholders from the oral health community engaged in providing input in the report’s development. AGD appreciates that NIDCR has reaffirmed that a report is forthcoming, as AGD recently joined a coalition of allies in sending a letter to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., calling for a quick release of the pending report. The report’s findings stand to significantly impact the field of dentistry and the country’s oral health, as they will serve as a guidepost for policymakers and officials at all levels of government.